FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Walking through the restaurant’s small doorway, one is distinctly transported to a classy, simplistic French post-colonial setting of dark-wood flooring, slightly washed-out brick walls lined with paintings, complemented by cylindrical light-shades hanging on one side, creating a relaxed ambience. Dark brown banquettes, the harbour view and jazz music in the background set the perfect scene for dining.
THE FOOD:
Besides catering for the avid meat-eater, BLT’s menu also features a selection of seafood freshly flown in thrice a week. For appetiser, we eagerly ordered the hamachi (yellowtail fish) with pickled vegetables and charred pomelo as suggested. The balance was found with a purée of avocado slotted in between this oily fish and a hint of mint brought out the freshness. Initially, the baby spinach salad looked unremarkable, but the crunchy texture and finely grated boiled eggs prevented the blue cheese from getting too salty, though the bacon was a little too hard.
This being a steakhouse, we ordered the New York strip and fillet to sample whether chef Laurent Tourondel’s cookery could match the USDA Prime steaks. For the novice steak customer, BLT’s friendly menu not only explains the different steak temperatures, but also provides comprehensive details of the different parts of beef for consumption. The strip was a tad chewy on the edges and the flavouring was stronger in comparison with the fillet which was milder.
The dessert, peanut butter chocolate parfait had two thin layers of crispy biscuit with rich chocolate sauce. The banana ice cream on top helped temper the heaviness, but only those with a very sweet tooth would be able to finish it.
DRINKS:
A diverse range of reds and whites acquired from across the globe.
SERVICE:
Service is efficient and staff is attentive without making one feel conscious of the dining etiquette.
PRICES:
Appetisers are from HK$88 to HK$350 (US$11 to US$45), mains from HK$178 (US$23) and dessert from HK$60 (US$8). For those with a less carnivorous appetite, the lunch buffet from 12pm to 4pm is well priced at HK$138 (US$18) with a selection of salads, cheese and cold cuts. Tea set is priced at HK$68 (US$9) for a selection of cakes and unlimited tea or coffee from 3pm to 6pm.
VERDICT:
Chef Tourondel’s reinvention of steak dining puts an elegant twist on traditional steakhouses that were only for men, hence females will not feel intimidated to patronise the place.
CONTACT:
Shop G62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Tsimshatsui, Hongkong, tel 852 2730 3508, www.bltrestaurants.com. Open from 11.30am till 11.30pm or later on weekends and public holidays.
Jennifer Lai
